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Dobel C, Junghöfer M. Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition. HNO 2024; 72:46-50. [PMID: 37725160 DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01339-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Dobel
- ENT Clinic, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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2
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Dobel C, Junghöfer M. [Tinnitus-on the interplay between emotion and cognition. German version]. HNO 2023; 71:648-655. [PMID: 37581622 DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01338-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Subjective tinnitus (hereafter tinnitus) is often considered and studied as a perceptual phenomenon. Accordingly, various abnormalities in the area of cognitive processing have been reported in patients with tinnitus. At the same time, the disorder is characterized by considerable emotional distress, which is associated with a high comorbidity of affective disorders. Here, we aim to outline the close link between cognition and emotion, and how current research from the field of cognitive neuroscience examines the processing and acquisition of emotional stimuli. The emotional valence of stimuli can be acquired after brief exposure to learning, leading from neutral to appetitive or aversive evaluation. In contrast to neutral stimuli, emotional stimuli attract attention very early (about 100 ms) during processing, leading to deeper processing and corresponding memory effects. The involved subcortical and cortical network encompasses limbic and sensory areas. In particular, prefrontal regions are involved in the acquisition and evaluation of emotional stimuli as also shown in studies of patients with affect disorders. The interplay of cognitive and emotional processes seems to be central to the development, maintenance, and treatment of tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Dobel
- HNO-Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Stoystr. 3, 07740, Jena, Deutschland.
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institut für Biomagnetismus und Biosignalanalyse, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Deutschland
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Rehbein MA, Kroker T, Winker C, Ziehfreund L, Reschke A, Bölte J, Wyczesany M, Roesmann K, Wessing I, Junghöfer M. Non-invasive stimulation reveals ventromedial prefrontal cortex function in reward prediction and reward processing. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1219029. [PMID: 37650099 PMCID: PMC10465130 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1219029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Studies suggest an involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in reward prediction and processing, with reward-based learning relying on neural activity in response to unpredicted rewards or non-rewards (reward prediction error, RPE). Here, we investigated the causal role of the vmPFC in reward prediction, processing, and RPE signaling by transiently modulating vmPFC excitability using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Methods Participants received excitatory or inhibitory tDCS of the vmPFC before completing a gambling task, in which cues signaled varying reward probabilities and symbols provided feedback on monetary gain or loss. We collected self-reported and evaluative data on reward prediction and processing. In addition, cue-locked and feedback-locked neural activity via magnetoencephalography (MEG) and pupil diameter using eye-tracking were recorded. Results Regarding reward prediction (cue-locked analysis), vmPFC excitation (versus inhibition) resulted in increased prefrontal activation preceding loss predictions, increased pupil dilations, and tentatively more optimistic reward predictions. Regarding reward processing (feedback-locked analysis), vmPFC excitation (versus inhibition) resulted in increased pleasantness, increased vmPFC activation, especially for unpredicted gains (i.e., gain RPEs), decreased perseveration in choice behavior after negative feedback, and increased pupil dilations. Discussion Our results support the pivotal role of the vmPFC in reward prediction and processing. Furthermore, they suggest that transient vmPFC excitation via tDCS induces a positive bias into the reward system that leads to enhanced anticipation and appraisal of positive outcomes and improves reward-based learning, as indicated by greater behavioral flexibility after losses and unpredicted outcomes, which can be seen as an improved reaction to the received feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maimu Alissa Rehbein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Kroker
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Constantin Winker
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Lena Ziehfreund
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anna Reschke
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Bölte
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Kati Roesmann
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Psychology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Ida Wessing
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Bruchmann M, Fahnemann K, Schindler S, Busch NA, Straube T. Early neural potentiation to centrally and peripherally presented fear-conditioned faces. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14215. [PMID: 36331158 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
For humans, it is vitally important to rapidly detect and process threatening signals regardless of whether stimuli occur at fixation or in the periphery. However, it is unknown whether eccentricity affects early neuronal electrophysiological responses to fear-conditioned stimuli. We examined early event-related potentials (ERPs) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) to fear-conditioned faces to address this question. Participants (N = 80) were presented with faces, either paired with an aversive (CS+) or neutral sound (CS-), at central or peripheral positions. We ensured constant central fixation using online eye-tracking but directed attention to either centrally or peripherally presented faces. Manipulation checks showed successful fear-conditioning (i.e., on average lower ratings in valence and higher ratings in arousal and perceived threat) and successful shifts of visuospatial attention indexed by high task performance and pre-stimulus alpha lateralization of the EEG spectra. We observed a generally increased P1 to fear-conditioned faces regardless of presentation location. An N170 difference between fear-conditioned and neutral stimuli was found but was restricted to the central location and depended on the effectivity of fear-conditioning. A similar effect was observed for the early posterior negativity (EPN). Trait anxiety was not related to differential ERP responses to CS+ versus CS- faces for any ERP component. These findings suggest that the P1 indexes early responses to centrally and peripherally presented fear-conditioned faces. Subsequent stages are modulated by the spatial location of the stimuli. This suggests different stages of neural processing of fear-conditioned faces depending on their spatial location. Finally, our results question the hypothesis that trait anxiety in healthy participants is related to altered visual processing of fear-conditioned faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Bruchmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kristin Fahnemann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schindler
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
| | - Niko A Busch
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Straube
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Münster, Germany
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Beckers T, Hermans D, Lange I, Luyten L, Scheveneels S, Vervliet B. Understanding clinical fear and anxiety through the lens of human fear conditioning. NATURE REVIEWS PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 2:233-245. [PMID: 36811021 PMCID: PMC9933844 DOI: 10.1038/s44159-023-00156-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Fear is an adaptive emotion that mobilizes defensive resources upon confrontation with danger. However, fear becomes maladaptive and can give rise to the development of clinical anxiety when it exceeds the degree of threat, generalizes broadly across stimuli and contexts, persists after the danger is gone or promotes excessive avoidance behaviour. Pavlovian fear conditioning has been the prime research instrument that has led to substantial progress in understanding the multi-faceted psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of fear in past decades. In this Perspective, we suggest that fruitful use of Pavlovian fear conditioning as a laboratory model of clinical anxiety requires moving beyond the study of fear acquisition to associated fear conditioning phenomena: fear extinction, generalization of conditioned fear and fearful avoidance. Understanding individual differences in each of these phenomena, not only in isolation but also in how they interact, will further strengthen the external validity of the fear conditioning model as a tool with which to study maladaptive fear as it manifests in clinical anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Beckers
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Hermans
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Iris Lange
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Luyten
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sara Scheveneels
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Vervliet
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ,grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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No trait anxiety influences on early and late differential neuronal responses to aversively conditioned faces across three different tasks. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1157-1171. [PMID: 35352267 PMCID: PMC9458573 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00998-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe human brain's ability to quickly detect dangerous stimuli is crucial in selecting appropriate responses to possible threats. Trait anxiety has been suggested to moderate these processes on certain processing stages. To dissociate such different information-processing stages, research using classical conditioning has begun to examine event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to fear-conditioned (CS +) faces. However, the impact of trait anxiety on ERPs to fear-conditioned faces depending on specific task conditions is unknown. In this preregistered study, we measured ERPs to faces paired with aversive loud screams (CS +) or neutral sounds (CS −) in a large sample (N = 80) under three different task conditions. Participants had to discriminate face-irrelevant perceptual information, the gender of the faces, or the CS category. Results showed larger amplitudes in response to aversively conditioned faces for all examined ERPs, whereas interactions with the attended feature occurred for the P1 and the early posterior negativity (EPN). For the P1, larger CS + effects were observed during the perceptual distraction task, while the EPN was increased for CS + faces when deciding about the CS association. Remarkably, we found no significant correlations between ERPs and trait anxiety. Thus, fear-conditioning potentiates all ERP amplitudes, some processing stages being further modulated by the task. However, the finding that these ERP differences were not affected by individual differences in trait anxiety does not support theoretical accounts assuming increased threat processing or reduced threat discrimination depending on trait anxiety.
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Ventura-Bort C, Wirkner J, Wendt J, Hamm AO, Weymar M. Establishment of Emotional Memories Is Mediated by Vagal Nerve Activation: Evidence from Noninvasive taVNS. J Neurosci 2021; 41:7636-7648. [PMID: 34281991 PMCID: PMC8425981 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2329-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotional memories are better remembered than neutral ones, but the mechanisms leading to this memory bias are not well understood in humans yet. Based on animal research, it is suggested that the memory-enhancing effect of emotion is based on central noradrenergic release, which is triggered by afferent vagal nerve activation. To test the causal link between vagus nerve activation and emotional memory in humans, we applied continuous noninvasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) during exposure to emotional arousing and neutral scenes and tested subsequent, long-term recognition memory after 1 week. We found that taVNS, compared with sham, increased recollection-based memory performance for emotional, but not neutral, material. These findings were complemented by larger recollection-related brain potentials (parietal ERP Old/New effect) during retrieval of emotional scenes encoded under taVNS, compared with sham. Furthermore, brain potentials recorded during encoding also revealed that taVNS facilitated early attentional discrimination between emotional and neutral scenes. Extending animal research, our behavioral and neural findings confirm a modulatory influence of the vagus nerve in emotional memory formation in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Emotionally relevant information elicits stronger and more enduring memories than nonrelevant information. Animal research has shown that this memory-enhancing effect of emotion is related to the noradrenergic activation in the brain, which is triggered by afferent fibers of the vagus nerve (VN). In the current study, we show that noninvasive transcutaneous auricular VN stimulation enhances recollection-based memory formation specifically for emotionally relevant information as indicated by behavioral and electrophysiological indices. These human findings give novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the establishment of emotional episodic memories by confirming the causal link between the VN and memory formation which may help understand the neural mechanisms underlying disorders associated with altered memory functions and develop treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ventura-Bort
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Janine Wirkner
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Julia Wendt
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
| | - Alfons O Hamm
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
| | - Mathias Weymar
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
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8
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Lei Y, Wang J, Dou H, Qiu Y, Li H. Influence of typicality in category-based fear generalization: Diverging evidence from the P2 and N400 effect. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 135:12-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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9
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Associated valence impacts early visual processing of letter strings: Evidence from ERPs in a cross-modal learning paradigm. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2018; 19:98-108. [DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-00647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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10
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Schindler S, Schettino A, Pourtois G. Electrophysiological correlates of the interplay between low-level visual features and emotional content during word reading. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12228. [PMID: 30111849 PMCID: PMC6093870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Processing affectively charged visual stimuli typically results in increased amplitude of specific event-related potential (ERP) components. Low-level features similarly modulate electrophysiological responses, with amplitude changes proportional to variations in stimulus size and contrast. However, it remains unclear whether emotion-related amplifications during visual word processing are necessarily intertwined with changes in specific low-level features or, instead, may act independently. In this pre-registered electrophysiological study, we varied font size and contrast of neutral and negative words while participants were monitoring their semantic content. We examined ERP responses associated with early sensory and attentional processes as well as later stages of stimulus processing. Results showed amplitude modulations by low-level visual features early on following stimulus onset - i.e., P1 and N1 components -, while the LPP was independently modulated by these visual features. Independent effects of size and emotion were observed only at the level of the EPN. Here, larger EPN amplitudes for negative were observed only for small high contrast and large low contrast words. These results suggest that early increase in sensory processing at the EPN level for negative words is not automatic, but bound to specific combinations of low-level features, occurring presumably via attentional control processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schindler
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
| | - Antonio Schettino
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Ubud, Indonesia
| | - Gilles Pourtois
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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11
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Junghöfer M, Rehbein MA, Maitzen J, Schindler S, Kissler J. An evil face? Verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning enhances face-evoked mid-latency magnetoencephalographic responses. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 12:695-705. [PMID: 28008078 PMCID: PMC5390753 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have a remarkable capacity for rapid affective learning. For instance, using first-order US such as odors or electric shocks, magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies of multi-CS conditioning demonstrate enhanced early (<150 ms) and mid-latency (150–300 ms) visual evoked responses to affectively conditioned faces, together with changes in stimulus evaluation. However, particularly in social contexts, human affective learning is often mediated by language, a class of complex higher-order US. To elucidate mechanisms of this type of learning, we investigate how face processing changes following verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning. Sixty neutral expression male faces were paired with phrases about aversive crimes (30) or neutral occupations (30). Post conditioning, aversively associated faces evoked stronger magnetic fields in a mid-latency interval between 220 and 320 ms, localized primarily in left visual cortex. Aversively paired faces were also rated as more arousing and more unpleasant, evaluative changes occurring both with and without contingency awareness. However, no early MEG effects were found, implying that verbal evaluative conditioning may require conceptual processing and does not engage rapid, possibly sub-cortical, pathways. Results demonstrate the efficacy of verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning and indicate both common and distinct neural mechanisms of first- and higher-order multi-CS conditioning, thereby informing theories of associative learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Junghöfer
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster D-48151, Germany
| | - Maimu Alissa Rehbein
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster D-48151, Germany
| | - Julius Maitzen
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University Hospital Münster, Münster D-48149, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schindler
- Department of Psychology, Affective Neuropsychology Unit.,Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld D-33501, Germany
| | - Johanna Kissler
- Department of Psychology, Affective Neuropsychology Unit.,Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld D-33501, Germany
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12
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Lonsdorf TB, Menz MM, Andreatta M, Fullana MA, Golkar A, Haaker J, Heitland I, Hermann A, Kuhn M, Kruse O, Meir Drexler S, Meulders A, Nees F, Pittig A, Richter J, Römer S, Shiban Y, Schmitz A, Straube B, Vervliet B, Wendt J, Baas JMP, Merz CJ. Don't fear 'fear conditioning': Methodological considerations for the design and analysis of studies on human fear acquisition, extinction, and return of fear. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 77:247-285. [PMID: 28263758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 483] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The so-called 'replicability crisis' has sparked methodological discussions in many areas of science in general, and in psychology in particular. This has led to recent endeavours to promote the transparency, rigour, and ultimately, replicability of research. Originating from this zeitgeist, the challenge to discuss critical issues on terminology, design, methods, and analysis considerations in fear conditioning research is taken up by this work, which involved representatives from fourteen of the major human fear conditioning laboratories in Europe. This compendium is intended to provide a basis for the development of a common procedural and terminology framework for the field of human fear conditioning. Whenever possible, we give general recommendations. When this is not feasible, we provide evidence-based guidance for methodological decisions on study design, outcome measures, and analyses. Importantly, this work is also intended to raise awareness and initiate discussions on crucial questions with respect to data collection, processing, statistical analyses, the impact of subtle procedural changes, and data reporting specifically tailored to the research on fear conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina B Lonsdorf
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Mareike M Menz
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marta Andreatta
- University of Würzburg, Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Miguel A Fullana
- Anxiety Unit, Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Hospital del Mar, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Armita Golkar
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychology Section, Stockholm, Sweden; University of Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Psychology, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan Haaker
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychology Section, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ivo Heitland
- Utrecht University, Department of Experimental Psychology and Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Hermann
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Department of Psychology, Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Giessen, Germany
| | - Manuel Kuhn
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Onno Kruse
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Department of Psychology, Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Giessen, Germany
| | - Shira Meir Drexler
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ann Meulders
- KU Leuven, Health Psychology, Leuven, Belgium; Maastricht University, Research Group Behavioral Medicine, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Nees
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andre Pittig
- Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Richter
- University of Greifswald, Department of Physiological and Clinical Psychology/Psychotherapy, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sonja Römer
- Saarland University, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Youssef Shiban
- University of Regensburg, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja Schmitz
- University of Regensburg, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Straube
- Philipps-University Marburg, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bram Vervliet
- KU Leuven, Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Excellence on Generalization, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julia Wendt
- University of Greifswald, Department of Physiological and Clinical Psychology/Psychotherapy, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Johanna M P Baas
- Utrecht University, Department of Experimental Psychology and Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christian J Merz
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Bochum, Germany
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Ventura-Bort C, Löw A, Wendt J, Dolcos F, Hamm AO, Weymar M. When neutral turns significant: brain dynamics of rapidly formed associations between neutral stimuli and emotional contexts. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 44:2176-83. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ventura-Bort
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Franz-Mehring-Str. 47 17487 Greifswald Germany
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology, and Psychobiology; Universitat Jaume I; Castellón Spain
| | - Andreas Löw
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | - Julia Wendt
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Franz-Mehring-Str. 47 17487 Greifswald Germany
| | - Florin Dolcos
- Psychology Department; Neuroscience Program; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | - Alfons O. Hamm
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Franz-Mehring-Str. 47 17487 Greifswald Germany
| | - Mathias Weymar
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology; University of Greifswald; Franz-Mehring-Str. 47 17487 Greifswald Germany
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